Shane Duffy has revealed he refused his club Brighton's request to delete a tweet he sent paying tribute to Martin McGuinness following the Derryman's death last March.

While Duffy admits he only met McGuinness "three or four times", the Irish centre half found him to be an affable man who did "so much work for Derry".

After McGuinness' death - just two days after the tragic passing of Derry City captain Ryan McBride - Duffy shared a tweet saying: "More tragic news this morning, RIP Martin Mc Guinness a true hero for many off us (Shamrock emoji) god bless your family and close ones #ireland."

The city of Brighton was targeted in one of the IRA's most calculated bombings in 1984. Five people were killed, including a sitting Conservative MP, when the IRA exploded a bomb in the Grand Brighton Hotel during a Conservative Party conference with then British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher in attendance.

Speaking to Richie Sadlier on the Second Captains Podcast, Duffy revealed that his club Brighton advised that the tweet should be removed.

"The club were on my case - 'Get it down'. I was like, 'It's up there now'. When you put something up for a second, it's up there. I said, 'No. It's my beliefs'. The manager was good with me, he was alright."

James McClean has spoken passionately about his relationship with McGuinness in the past and Duffy had high praise for the former Sinn Fein man.

"I only met him personally three or four times, like. He was always up for a laugh with the lads - he loved his football. He obviously had a serious head on as well, sometimes. He was always in the headlines for good or bad stuff - people have opinions - but he did a lot for Derry.

"I met him with James (McClean) a couple of times, he was in our hotel in France. Obviously he supported the Derry boys. I never had a lot of time with him but when I met him he was always a nice guy."